Young XMen: The Next Generation
by CrosserX
Summary: It's been 18 years since tragedy hit the X-Mansion, and the X-Men have disbanded and were left to live their lives. But with more and more trouble popping up, it's going to take a lot more than it did years ago. And now it's time for the X-Men to face their biggest challenge yet - training the Young X-Men.
1. Beginning

A motorcycle skidded to a stop in front of an old, rusted and twisted gate. The man on the bike looked around wearily. Several cars were parked around at random places. Getting off of the bike, the man laid his helmet on the seat and stepped over the old gate. As he walked up the drive, he stopped and looked up. The remains of a building loomed over him. Most of the roof was gone, and windows were busted. Doors hung off the hinges, and grime covered the building. As he stood there, another man walked up beside him.

"Logan," greeted the newcomer.

"Summers," grunted Logan.

The two men stood there, not saying anything, just staring at the building.

Another person approached, this time a woman. "Almost eighteen years," she said softly. Logan grunted in hello.

"It is hard to believe," said another woman, standing with them.

"Oui," said another man, appearing beside Scott Summers quietly with another woman beside him. "Remy didn't tink he'd be comin' back 'ere."

"Neither did I," Remy's companion said quietly.

A few others arrived, standing there with the others, just staring at what used to be the X-Mansion.

"Alright, then," Scott said. "To me, X-Men."

All of the used-to-be X-Men followed Scott into the destroyed Mansion. Only one room remained un-destroyed in the house – Cerebro . As the X-Men walked towards it, the door slid open.

There was already a woman inside the long, circular room. Her long blonde hair was braided down her back. She wore a grey pant suit, and had a long white coat on over it. Though everyone in the room knew she was nearly 47 years old, she didn't look a day over 35.

"X-Men," she greeted.

"Emma," Scott greeted. "Good to see you."

"And you as well," she replied. She turned to Logan. "I trust you arrived without any trouble?"

"The only problem I had on the way was with Gwen," sighed Logan, joining Emma. "Temp called and said she got into another shouting match with the maid."

"Gwen!" said the woman beside Scott. "Oh, how is she?"

"Very well, thank you, Jean," Emma said with an incline of her head. "And Andrea?"

Jean sighed. "She's been better. She's having troubles with school."

Jean Grey-Summers looked good for her age of 48. Her dark red, shoulder length hair had only a few traces of grey, and her green eyes shone. Her simple jeans and red T-shirt looked good on her body.

Her husband Scott Summers, however, didn't look well. His dark brown hair had noticeable traces of grey. He had dark bags under his eyes, and his lips were drawn down in his frown.

The rest of the X-Men had changed, too – Remy's hair had gone mostly grey, and he was still limping from the accident, nearly 18 years ago. Rogue was with him – she had kept her hair the same as always, short, brown, with her white streaks. She was wearing glasses, and had crows feet.

Peter and Kitty both looked good. Kitty had recently cut her hair in a short bob. Peters salt-and-pepper grey hair was cut the same as always. Lockheed, perched on Kittys shoulder, looked a bit greyer, but still energized.

Storm was off to the side, her white hair tied back. She wore traditional Wakandian garments, revealing burn scars on her neck from the accident.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you all, but vhy are ve here?" Kurt asked. Kurt Wagner looked the same as always, even though his arm had been replaced with a metal arm created by Forge when Kurt lost his in the accident.

"Because, Kurt," Rachel said, leaning against the wall. "They seem to think the X-Men need to get back together."

"Vhat?" exclaimed Kurt. "All of us?"

"No," Hank McCoy said. "Only the ones that are willing to come back." He looked around. "You _are _all willing to come back?"

The room was silent – everyone looked at each other.

"No." Everyone turned their head to Scott.

"What?" Jean asked her husband.

"I said no. Jean, we have a good thing going here. No mutant haters, no evil terrorists, no Magneto. I'm not going to drag Andrea and Nicolas into our old ghosts."

"Actually," Hank said, swallowing. "We don't want you all back as the main X-Men." He cleared his throat. "The fact is . . . well . . . see, all of our children are mutants, so . . . um . . ."

"He wants our kids," Logan said.

The whole room was quiet. All you could hear was the wind outside Cerebro, and finally Rogue spoke.

"We all knew they'd have ta use their powers at some point," she said.

"But what reason do we have for coming back?" Kitty asked.

"Emma?" Hank asked.

She nodded. Placing Cerebro on her head, she closed her eyes. The room lit up, and they flew past hundreds of thousands of people, until stopping on one individual.

"This is Morgan Trask," Emma said.

"Trask?" Bobby Drake asked from the back of the room. "As in, Bolivar Trask?"

"His granddaughter, yes." Emma zoomed in on her. "Age thirty-three. Republican. Anti-mutant. Genius. Graduated high school at age sixteen."

"So?" Rachel asked. "What's her problem?"

"Did you not hear me? Anti-mutant, and genius. What do you think will happen?"

"That doesn't necessarily mean she's out to destroy mutant-kind, Emma," Scott pointed out.

Emma glanced at Logan, who nodded, tossing Scott a blueprint. Frowning, Scott unrolled it and gasped.

"The new and improved mutant killers," Emma said. "Think a bigger, badder, meaner version of the Master Mold."

"We need the team," Hank said. "Please, everyone. You know what this could do."

The room was quiet, and then Remy put his arm around Rogue. "You're right. We're in."

Kitty and Peter looked at each other. "I guess we are too."

"Us as well," Storm said.

Rachel sighed. "Guess I don't have any other choice, huh? I'll do it."

Bobby nodded in agreement.

Everyone looked at Jean and Scott. "Sorry, guys," Scott said. "But the answer is still –"

"Yes," Jean said firmly. Scott looked at his wife appalled, and she sighed. "It's what Charles would _want!_ Scott, we knew this day was coming! It's time."

Everyone still stared at Scott. Finally, he sighed. "So when do we start we building the mansion?"


	2. Chapter 1

Before you Read:

Featuring (And I do Not Own):

The Old X-Men:

**Jean Grey; Scott Summers; Emma Frost; Logan Howlett; Hank McCoy; Rachel Grey; Bobby Drake; Amara Aquilla; Kitty Pryde; Peter Rasputin; Remy LeBoau; Rogue Darkholme; Kurt Wagner; Wade Wilson; Ororo Munroe.** _Special Guests Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Bob Reynolds, Cable, and Luna Maximoff! Along with Mary-Jane and Mae Parker!_

The Villains: 

**Sabretooth (Kinda Sorta) ; Deathbird (Again with the Kinda Sorta); The Mutates; Loki**

Have fun and enjoy the read!

* * *

"Andrea, sit up and take that hood off!"

Andi Summers sighed, sitting up and pulling her grey hood off her head. Her long, curly brown hair cascaded down her shoulders as she moved.

"New shades, freak?" snickered a boy behind her, whose friends joined in laughing.

Andi shrunk down again, adjusting her ruby quartz glasses.

"Leave her alone, Collin," snapped Margo, Collins cheerleader girlfriend.

Collin instantly shut up, and Andi shot a gratified look at Margo, who smiled.

The bell rang, and Andi jumped up and walked with her head down to her locker.

Nick was beside her locker already. "Hey," he said, handing Andi her books.

"Hey," she told her older brother, taking her books from him. "Thanks. Have mom or dad called?" She asked as they walked out of the school.

"Nah, they're still not back from New York," Nick said as they walked to his new Ford pick-up truck.

As Andi slipped into the passenger seat and Nick started the truck, he frowned and pushed Andi's hair back from her face. "What's this?" he demanded, staring at a large, ugly bruise on her temple. She didn't answer. "Andrea, what is this? Did you have another nightmare?"

"It wasn't as bad as the last few," Andi muttered, sliding down in her seat.

"Andi, you have to tell someone when you have those nightmares! You could end up seriously hurt." He took a deep breath, calming himself. "What hit you?"

"I – a picture frame."

"Why didn't I wake up? Andi – Andi, are you telepathically blocking me again? Answer me, Andi!"

"I'm sorry, I kept waking you up."

"Dammit, Andi!" Nick hit his fists against the steering wheel, and the entire truck shook. "What did I say about this! You . . . oh, you just wait until Mom gets home!"

"Please, Nicolas, just don't tell her! Just this once!" She begged.

The two didn't say another word to each other on their way home. As they pulled onto their street, they saw their parent's car.

"Hey, mom and dad are home!" Andrea said, and her and Nick entered the house.

"Mom?" Andi called, tossing her bag on the couch. "Dad? We're home!"

Andrea frowned and looked at Nick, who shrugged. They headed upstairs, and Andi knocked on her parents' bedroom door. "Mom? Dad? You guys in here?" She pushed the door open.

"Huh," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "They're not in here." She frowned at some stuff strewn across the bed. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Nick asked, as the two approached the bed. A few boxes, some scrap books, and various other items were on the bed. Frowning, Nick tore open a cardboard box.

"What's in it?" Andi asked.

"Just some old clothes. Probably stuff cool back in the day," he joked.

Together, they pulled out the old clothing.

Andi frowned at the first outfit she pulled out – it was a green dress, short in length with long sleeves and a yellow belt with a red "X" on it. Folded under it was a long pair of yellow knee-high boots, long yellow gloves, and a pointed yellow mask. Andi showed it to her brother.

He examined it. "Green and yellow, eh? Must have been a Halloween thing. Those colors combined could be disastrous," he joked. Meanwhile, he pulled out a full-body blue suit, with the similar yellow boots and gloves, plus a red belt marked with another "X". With it was a strange looking eyepiece.

Andi shook her head, pulling out another outfit. This one was also green, a full body suit, with a black pyramid shape on the top with a gold, metallic bird-like picture in the middle. Golden metallic boots and gloves went with it, plus a golden sash around the waste, clasped with the same bird-like figure on the neck. Andi set it aside carefully, and pulled out the next one – this one was an exact replica of the former, only instead of green, it was an intense, bright red.

"Whoa," Nicolas said. "That's . . .weird." He pulled some pictures out of the bottom of the box. "Hey! Ha, it's mom and dad with Auntie 'Ro," he said. "But they're wearing these outfits – and Ororo is wearing some leather piece."

Opening one of the scrapbooks, Andi found some old newspaper clippings. She read the first one aloud. " 'X-Men Terrorizes New York City.' Huh. What are the X-Men?"

"Probably some peace group," snorted Nicolas, still flipping through pictures.

"Uh, I don't think so." Andi cleared her throat. " 'The mutant group calling themselves the X-Men cause New York a great deal of trouble. 'They are a threat to the human race' says Senator Kelly. 'They will wipe us all out before we know whats happening. That's why the registration act should go through.' There are five in this band of X-Men, calling themselves Cyclopes, Beast, Angel, Iceman, and Marvel Girl." Andi's eyes fell on the paper. "Oh my God."

"What?" Nick asked, looking over his sisters shoulder.

"Look!" she exclaimed. "The people in these outfits are wearing the outfits we just found. And who do they look like you to?"

Nick squinted. "There's no way, though!"

"Oh," Andi said quietly, picking up another picture. "I guess you're right." The headline read "X-Man Mutant Marvel Girl Reported Dead."

"Kids? We're here, where are –?" Jean Grey-Summers stopped in her tracks, Scott behind her. "Oh," Jean breathed, her face flushed. "You – you found them."

"Them what?" Nick demanded, stepping forward. "What is this stuff?" He looked at his parents. "Dad, whats that thing on your face?"

Scott touched a finger to his visor. "Oh, uh, well . . ."

"They don't know about this?" came an outraged voice from the hall. Jean sighed as the newcomer stepped inside the room. He was short and had intense sideburns, with an angry, animal-like face at the moment.

"We were going to tell them when the time was right!" Jean said.

"When the time was right? When the time was right? When was the right time, Jean? Huh? Next week? Next year? Twenty years?"

"Don't you dare talk to her like that!" Nick said, stepping forward. His hands started glowing red. "Who are you?"

The man ignored Nick, instead looking back at Jean. "This isn't _like _you, Jeannie, to just let your kids go without the truth? They've lived lies! No training, nothing! Do they even know who Magneto is for Christs sake?"

"Magneto?" Andi asked, furrowing her brow. "Wasn't he a mutant?"

"Argg!" Metal claws shot out of the mans fists, and spun to face Scott. "Summers!" he roared. "This is your fault! You wanted perfect, normal lives? That doesn't happen with us; that doesn't happen with mutants, and it especially doesn't happen with X-Men, you coward!"

"Keep going, Logan," Scott said through clenched teeth. He touched the side of his visor. "It's been almost eighteen years since I gave you a good, hard blast, and I'm ready." He cocked a sarcastic eyebrow. "Bub."

Logan growled and attacked Scott; Nick blasted him with his beams coming from his hands. Logan flew into the wall, knocking over some frames and a flower vase. He growled, glowering at Nick. "I ain't gonna _like _you, am I?"

"Enough!" Jean shouted. "Both of you! That's enough." She took a deep. "Logan, you're right. It was wrong of us to keep it from them for so long. But we need this to happen, so let's get it over with quick, like ripping a bandaid off. Now it's time to tell them.

"Tell us what?" Nick exclaimed.

Jean hesitated. "That we're X-Men."


	3. Chapter 2

Temperance jumped nimbly over a piece of heavy machinery, grunting as she hit the ground a little too hard. She rolled out of the way as a laser shot down on her former location, sweeping her hair out of her face as she jumped up onto her feet.

"Ninety pounds of pure power!" shouted Christian from across the room.

"Get down!" Temperance shouted.

Christian ducked just as an axe swung over his head.

"Watch your head, Chris," Gwen said as she raced past him.

"Yeah, yeah," Christian said, and backflipped onto the oncoming axe. Pulling a long, metal knife from its sheath on his waist, he cut straight through the metal and wires, and it crashed to the floor. "Hey, Temp!" he yelled. "Comin' attcha!"

Temperance turned and cursed, seeing several laser guns preparing to fire. Right before they could strike, she turned her body to diamond, and the lasers bounced off of her, harmlessly. "Gwen!" she shouted.

Gwen took a running start and jumped an incredible length, landing perfectly on top of it – claws shot from her hands, and she slashed the lasers.

Gwen jumped down, back to back with Temperance and Christian. Christian pulled his knife and squatted, ready to attack. Temperance remained in diamond form, and Gwen had her claws ready for attack.

"Danger Room: Simulation 228, Off Mode."

The three looked around as the Danger Room shut down around them, to see Logan standing in the door way, smiling.

"Dad!" Gwen said, running over the rubble to wrap her arms around her fathers neck. He laughed and hugged her back.

Temperance frowned as she and Christian made their way over to him. "Why'd you stop the session?" Temperance asked. "We were almost finished."

"Missed you too, kiddo," Logan said, kissing his daughters forehead. "Where's you mom, huh?"

"She's in her study. Did you talk to Jean and Scott?"

"Yeah," Logan said, turning. "I did."

"Well, don't just walk away!" Temperance said, jogging after. "What did Andi and Nick say?"

"They were shocked."

"Well, duh," Christian said, reading his father's mind. "How could they just not tell their kids about that?"

"They didn't know?" Gwen asked. "But, c'mon! Cyclopes was the team _leader. _Phoenix ate planets! How did they not know this?"

They all entered Emmas study, where Emma was looking quite frazzled. "Logan, I'm glad you're home," she said without looking up. "There's no way we can afford to rebuild the mansion before next month – we're going to need some serious help."

"We'll make it," Logan reassured Emma, kissing the top of her head.

Emma sighed. "Temperance, I need Dr. McCoys book from the top shelf, please."

With a wave of her hand, the book floated down towards Temperance, who moved it towards her mother. Emma took it without bothering to look up. "Thank you, dear."

"We could always use here as a base," Christian said. "Temporarily of course."

Emma smiled at her son. "That's very darling of you, my sweet, but all the X-Men living in this house alone? Our Danger Room is much smaller than the original, and I don't have Cerebro." She sighed. "Should we call Warren?"

"Maybe you should let Slim do that," Logan said. "You and him didn't get along to well last time. He didn't even show up for the meeting last week."

Emma nodded absentmindedly.

Gwen, Temperance, and Christian left their parents, heading down to the basement. Allowing a machine to scan her hand, Temperance led her siblings into the lab.

"Hey, Hank," Gwen said, sitting down next to the blue X-Man.

"Hello, Gwendolyn. Temperance. Christian," he said, looking up from his microscope.

"How's it all going?" Gwen asked, putting some papers into a neater pile.

Hank sighed, pushing away from his desk a bit. "To be completely honest with you, I'm feeling a lot of stress. Much more than normal for me."

"Ah, don't worry about it, big guy," Christian said, patting Hanks shoulder. "I'm sure you just miss Ayesha, that's all."

"When is she arriving, anyway?" Temperance asked.

"Not for another day or two, I'm afraid. If she bothers to come," mumbled Hank.

"Shall I have a word with her?" Christian asked, tapping his forhead.

Hank sighed. "No, no." He stood, pressing a button on the computer. "This is the device I've been working on – for Kurts girl. It would be dangerous for her to go out in public looking the way she does, so I've re-created Kurts original Image Inducer."

"Uncle Tonys not going to like that," Gwen joked. "Wasn't that his idea?"

Hank frowned. "Well, yes, but I've improved it!"

The three teens laughed, before leaving Hank to his work.

Temperance went to her bedroom, sighing. She stripped from her white, one piece leotard-like outfit. On the shoulder of the outfit was light blue lettering reading "Stark Industries." Along with her outfit was a pair of easy-to-move in running shoes and gloves. Chris and Gwen had the exact outfits, only Chris's lettering was in green and Gwens lettering was red. The suits were designed by "Uncle" Tony Stark, who created them to adapt to the wearers powers, much like Reed Richards FF suits.

As Temperance kicked her suit aside, she folded herself into her bath robe and pulled her messy ponytail down, her blonde locks falling nearly to her waist. She looked at herself in the mirror. _Take a good, long look, Temp,_ she told herself. _You're going to be an X-Man soon. Your life's dream._ Her cobalt blue eyes looked cold and unnerving, but on the inside, she was torn apart. She was so afraid of failing, so afraid of hurting someone. She didn't quite understand why the old X-Men had picked her to be the leader of the New X-Men – sure, she was the oldest, save for Christian and more importantly, Nicolas. She admitted to herself every day that Nicolas would make a better leader – his father had led the X-Men well.

_So did Mom and Dad, _said a whisper in the back of her head.

Temperance sighed. _Christian, get out of me head. You know how unnerving I find it when you read my mind._

Her twin laughed before pulling himself from her mind. Temperance began to pace back and forth.

Meanwhile, as Christian pulled himself from his sister's mind, he sat on the bed, polishing his knife. It was made of adamantium, with a diamond middle piece that represented his parents. Paired with his amazing reflexes and skills with his weapon, Christian had level five telepathic abilities that he had to be careful with – that was why he trained with actual weapons more than his mind. As Christian sighed, he leaned back on his bed, reaching into the chefs mind to find out what dinner was.

Gwen changed into low rider jeans and a red tube top, leaning back in her bed. Her black hair splayed out under her – of all three Frost-Howlett children, she was the only one to have Logans dark hair, even though Gwen dyed the underside of it blonde.

Gwen knew she was different from her siblings – not only was she the only one that gained Logan's looks, she was the only one that gained his adamantium claws and skeleton, therefore his healing factor. In addition to that, being the youngest of three was often difficult – since Temperance and Christian were twins, they never had issues with the whoms-older-than-whom problems. Christian and Temperance would both be eighteen in a few months, and Gwen was only just about to turn sixteen. With a sighed, she rolled over, grabbing a magazine from beside her bed.


	4. Chapter 3

"I'm glad ya could make it, Logan. Selena's gonna be happy to see ya," Rogue said as she and Logan walked through Rogue and Remys three-story home in uptown New Jersey.

"Glad I could come," grunted the older X-Man. "I've been missin' the little runt."

"What powers did your girl inherit, Rogue?" Scott asked from where he walked with them.

"She got most of her Daddys powers," said Rogue. "Make stuff blow up, all that good stuff. But if she concentrates real hard, she can absorb people's memories and thoughts – not their powers, though. We don't like her doin' the thought suckin, though, because she gets so sick after words."

"So where is she?" Scott asked as they came to a stop in the kitchen.

"She is not home, yet," Remy said from where he was cooking.

"Home from where?" Scott frowned.

Logan grinned. "I'm gonna love his face when he sees this."

"Sees what?" Scott demanded.

The back door opened, and Selena entered. She wore her black hair long and straight, rippling at her waist. She had Rogues bright green eyes and slim build. Her serious expression was somewhat alien to Scott, but when Selena saw Logan, her whole face lit up in a smile.

"Logan!" She said, wrapping her arms around him.

Scott would have been perfectly fine with the situation, if not for the standard S.H.I.E.L.D. Uniform Selena was wearing.

"Are you kidding me?" Scott laughed.

Selena turned to him. She held out a hand. "I'm Selena LeBeau. You must be Mister Summers."

"That I am," Scott said, smiling and shaking her hand. "You work with S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yes."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Scott laughed again. "Who's in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. these days, anyhow?"

"Maria Hill, beside Dum Dum Dugan," Rogue said. "We sent Selena there when she turned twelve, for proper training. You never know when anotha Magneto might pop up."

"True enough," Scott said.

"You almost look excited to be getting back in the game, Scottie," Logan grinned.

"I almost am. Maybe Jean was right."

"Knock, knock!" Said a familiar voice at the door. Kurt entered, his face bright with surprise. "Logan! And Scott. Vhat a nice surprise. I vould like you to meet my children. This is Claus and Evalyn."

Claus was a small boy, only fourteen years old, with dark black hair and grey eyes. He had no fur, but instead looked completely human. He smiled and waved. "Hallo," he said in his heavy German accent.

Evalyn was older, just turning sixteen, and looked a lot like her father. Her body was the same, with three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot. Her fur was a dark rust color, much like Azazels, and her long hair was black with pointed ear sticking out of her hair. She smiled, revealing pointed teeth like her fathers.

"She looks like you," Logan remarked.

"Yes, vell," Evalyn smiled. "Claus got all the luck in the look departments, it seems."

"How is your wife, Kurt?" Scott asked.

"Oh, very vell. She rather enjoyed the move back here to America," said the teleporter. "I think she very much missed her home."

"Are you two going to be staying in the Mansion once it's rebuilt?"

"Ve vouldn't vant to be anyvhere else."

"Great," Scott smiled. "What can these two do?"

"Claus can teleport," Kurt said. "And also, he has had some training in the mystical arts."

"And what can Evayln do?"

"Oh, you know. Ability to stick to walls, blending into shadows, teleportation. The same as me, basically." He smiled. "Plus, there is the tail . . ."

Selena smiled. "If we aren't needed, if I could steal my cousin . . . ?"

"Go on ahead, ladies," Remy said. "I will call you when dinner is ready."

The girls took off for Selena's room, and Claus teleported across the room, reaching for the candy jar. Rogue slapped his hand. "Dinners almost ready, ya bottomless pit!"

Claus grinned and snatched the candy jar before teleporting out of the room.

"He is _so _like Kurt," Rogue muttered, rolling her eyes.

Kurt and Scott laughed, Logan grinning. "Well," Logan said. "I'll call Emma and tell her we're on our way."

"Logan, are you sure you're ok with the kids stayin' with you and Emma while the mansions repairs are finished?"

"Course I am," Logan snorted. "I'm going to put them to work on the Danger Room."

"Perfect!" Kurt laughed. "Claus vill love you forever!"

"Kid likes action, huh?" Logan smiled.

"They both do very much," Kurt said. "Much to the dismay of their mother."

"Eh," Remy said. "Soups done."

With a loud _BAMF _and a puff of smoke, Evalyn appeared with Selena. "Dinner time?" Evalyn asked, teleporting into her seat.

"You and your brother!" Rogue exclaimed. "Between the two of you, you eat more than Logan."

"Huh?" Logan asked from where he was stuffing his face with food.

Rogue rolled her eyes.


	5. Chapter 4

"So, I'm going to be an X-Man?"

Kitty sighed, and Peter shot a warning look at his son. "Jake, keep on track."

"Sorry," Jake, Kitty and Peters fifteen year old son, said. Jake took after his mother, with brown hair and dark eyes. He smiled again. "But an _X-Man?_"

"Let them finish, Metal Head," His sister Nikita said. Nikita was the only one of the three Rasputin children who had inherited Peters straight black hair and piercing blue eyes. She scowled at her brother.

"_I _want to be an X-Man!" Their little brother Mikey, who was eight and a male clone of his mother, said.

"In a few years, perhaps," Kitty said. Her son crossed his arms and jutted out his lip.

There was a knocking on the door, and Bobby Drake entered. "Howdy ho, neighbor!" he said cheerfully.

"You could wait for an answer," Kitty pointed out.

"None sense," Amara said, following Bobby and bouncing her year old son Skylar on her hip. They were followed by Raquel, who was Bobby and Amara's fourteen year old daughter. Raquel's curly white-blonde hair swept her shoulders as she sat next to Nikita.

"Jean here yet?" Bobby asked, stretching out on the couch. Nikita took Skylar, bouncing him up and down, making the baby laugh.

"No," Kitty said. "She should be here soon, though."

As though on cue, Jean knocked. "Can we come in? The doors open."

"Come on in!" Bobby called, and Kitty scowled at him.

Jean entered with Emma by her side. The two telepaths sat down with the others. "I thought this was Kittys house?" Emma asked.

"It is," Kitty said, glaring at Bobby. "But we have some very impolite neighbors."

"Yeah we do!" Bobby said. "The Roversons next door, whew."

"So these are the children?" Emma asked, looking at them.

"Yep," Kitty said. "These are ours; Nikita, who's sixteen; Jake, who's fifteen; and Michael, who's eight."

"And these are ours," Bobby said. "Raquel and Skylar."

"All mutants?"

"Yeah," Bobby said. "Skylar started right away, bless him. Caught fire not a minute after he was born. You shoulda seen Amara, it burnt off all her –" His wife cleared her throat, and Bobby laughed. "And Raquel just discovered she can control all three elements."

"Aren't there four?" Jean asked.

"Eh, I can't keep track."

Jean rolled her eyes. "When _will_ you grow up?"

"After you do, poopyhead."

"What are _your_ powers, Nikita?" Emma asked.

"I can phase through things, like mom," Explained the teen. "And also, I can read movement. Like, if someone if lying, I can tell by their body language and voice."

"Interesting," Emma said. "And you, Mister Rasputin?" She asked Jake.

"Check it," he said, standing. He grabbed a candle stick from the mantel, and his skin turned the same metal. "I can absorb _any _metals."

"Oh, oh, I'm an X-Man, too!" Mikey said. "Watch!" He jumped off the couch, hovered a few minutes, then fell back onto the sofa.

"We're still working on the flying," Kitty explained.

Jean smiled. "So are you kids all willing to be trained?"

"What, are you kidding?" Jake asked. "I've wanted to be an X-Man since, like, forever!"

Kitty sighed. "I tried to tell him it's not all fun and games."

"Listen to your mother," Jean suggested. "She's correct – there are times where being an X-Man can be dangerous." Kitty looked away, and Jean saw her eyes wet with tears. Jean figured Kitty was thinking about the accident.

"However," Jean continued. "It can be very rewarding."

"All these young kids, getting to be X-Men," Bobby grumbled. "Why don't _we_ ever get to punch anything anymore?"

"Logan said much of the same thing," Emma said.

"So how's this going to work?" Kitty asked. "Costumes, code-names? Are we getting ready to make nice with the public?"

"That's the idea," Jean said. "If Trask is creating new Sentinels, we're going to need the humans to like us."

"Speaking of outfits and names," Peter said. "The Avengers . . .?"

"Alls I know is, all these bloody years and Logan is still on that team!" Emma sniffed.

Jean rolled her eyes and stood. "The Mansion is going to be finished with repairs in about three weeks. Are you four planning on moving back in?"

"Heck, yeah!" Bobby said. "I've been waiting on this day for years."

"We are, too," Kitty said. "The schools going to need teachers."

"Well, don't worry about one thing," Emma smiled. "I'm teaching Ethics."


	6. Chapter 5

"Henry, are you down here?" Kavita called down the steps.

"Down here, dear," he called back, and Kavita walked down the steps into the lab.

"Things are coming along nicely in here," Kavita said, looking around as Hank unpacked boxes, arranging things in the new X-Lab.

"Yes, it's much more space than before," Hank said, looking around at his handy work.

"You're doing wonderful," Kavita smiled, patting his shoulder. "Where's Ayesha?"

"I believe she's upstairs with Temperance and Christian. Gwen was around here somewhere, but I sent her out for my toolbox an hour ago and she has yet to return."

Kavita smiled and patted his cheek. "She's watching television in the living room."

"Of course she is," Hank sighed, and he went back to work unpacking things. Kavita smiled and helped her husband, and they looked up as Ayesha came down the stairs, holding her fathers tool box.

"Ah, there it is!" Hank said, taking it from her.

"Gwen said to give that to you. She was busy."

"With what?"

"Something about making sure the television quality was ok."

Hank pushed some of Ayesha's blue hair from her face. "Thank you, sweetie."

Ayesha, who was sixteen, had ordinary human features, despite her long hair, which was a dark blue. Her skin was a light tan color from her mother's side, and she had her father's originally-blue eyes.

"How's the Danger Room coming?" Hank asked as he swung himself on top of a shelf, screwing in a light bulb.

"Great," Ayesha said. "Forge and Logan are working on it now. Bobby and Kurt are cleaning Cerebro, and Emma and Jean are rewiring the Cerebra system."

"I still don't understand the point of having both Cerebro and Cerebra," Kavita said.

"It's all about keeping an eye on things, Vita," Hank said.

"Hmm. Well, when will Ororo and Alexander arrive?" Kavita asked.

"They should be on their way," Ayesha said, swinging herself on top of a piece of heavy machinery. "Dad, you missed a place."

"Did I? My mistake." Hank jumped to where his daughter was, and Kavita shook her head.

"It makes me so lonely when you two do that."

Hank smiled, handing upside down from the ceiling. "I'm sorry, are you a huge, blue cat?"

"No, but I married one," Kavita said dryly, but with a smile.

"Henry?" called a familiar voice.

"Ororo!" He exclaimed, dropping down to great his old friend. The two hugged, and Hank looked at her. "You look well."

"I'm very well indeed. Look at this place!" she said with a wave of her arm. "It looks fantastic."

"Hey, Alex," Ayesha said with a wave from where she hung upside down, using a power drill.

"Ayesha," Alex smiled. Alex, who was sixteen as well, had dark skin and hair, but his mother's bright blue eyes. He was a Level Five Omega telepath, and his eyes turned white while using his powers, not unlike his mother's.

"I'm glad you're here, Alex," Hank said. "I need you to see if you can give Cerebra a kick start."

"Sure," Alex said. "Where too?"

Hank led Alex away, and Kavita and Ororo made idle chit-chat. As Ayesha finished her project, she jumped down and made her ways back upstairs. "Hey, Gwen, why don't you get off your lazy butt and –" She stopped in her tracks. Gwen sat in the living room, along with Christian and Temperance, plus some others. She recognized Evalyn and Claus right away, and even Nikita, Jake, and Raquel. She did not recognize three others, though – a girl with long black hair, wearing low rider jeans and a S.H.I.E.L.D. T-Shirt; A girl with long brown hair, whose eyes were hidden behind red sunglasses; and a muscular boy with red-brown hair and green eyes that looked like the second girls brother.

"Um, hi," Ayesha said.

"Ayesha," Christian said. "This is Selena LeBeau. She's the daughter of Rogue and Remy." She gave a nod.

"And this is Andrea and Nicolas Summers. They're Scott and Jeans kids." Andrea gave a curt nod, and Nicolas smiled.

"Nice to meet you," Ayesha said. She turned and saw Alex behind her. "I'm sure you all know Alex Munroe?"

"Most of them do," Alex said, smiling.

"Great. So, is this the team?" Ayesha asked. "The thirteen of us?"

"Guess so," Nicolas Summers said. "So, who's team leader?"

"That would be me," Temperance said, stepping forward. "At least, that's what my father told me." She looked around the room. "I want you all to know, I've been training for this day my whole life – the day I'd become team leader of the X-Men. I know how important this is, and I swear I won't let you guys down."

"So, what exactly do we do, Miss Team Leader?" Selena asked. "Run around in goofy outfits? Come on. How many of you really signed up for this?" She waited, seeing everyone's hand go up, and she snorted. "For real? You guys want to get your asses kicked? Look, whatever blew up this place eighteen years ago was enough to break up the original X-Men. Who's to say it won't happen again? I have a _job_. I'm one of the few people on this planet that _likes _working with S.H.I.E.L.D. And, no offense, but I feel like I could put my powers to better use actually helping the world instead of running around trying to stop some robots that don't even exist!"

"Spoken like a true agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.," said a gruff voice from behind the students.

They all turned, and Selena gasped. "I – I . . . Colonel Fury! But you're . . . you . . ."

"Director Fury, it's an honor to meet you!" Nicolas said, shaking hands with him. "I have looked up to you since forever!"

"You must be Nick Summers. I heard one of the X-Men named their kid after me."

"Yes, sir, that's me."

"And you must be Selena LeBeau," Fury said, looking straight at her. "Well. I wasn't expecting you. You're so much . . . well, more than I was expecting."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

Fury paused. "Dugan tells me you're on hell of an agent."

"Not to be arrogant sir, but I've been called the best."

"Now _that's _spoken like a true agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Alex whispered to Gwen, who grinned.

"Colonel – no disrespect, but . . . what are you doing here?" Nick asked.

"I was asked here by Mrs. Emma Frost-Howlett," Fury said. "Sees you muties need a hand in gaining some political popularity. Now, I may be supposedly dead, but I have some friends in high places – who have _more _friends in _higher _places – that can get you that popularity."

"That's very generous of you, sir," Andrea said. "But I think we can manage on our own."

Fury turned to her and inspected her. "Now you _have _to be Scott Summers kid. Listen, I know how you young kids are – you think you can handle everything yourselves. Well, here's some news: You can't. Plain and simple. I'm sorry, Miss Summers, but you're going to need my help. Understood?"

Andrea clenched her teeth. "Yes. _Sir."_

Fury gave a trace of a smile, nodded to Selena, and left the room.


	7. Chapter 6

"You're landing much too hard on your feet, Andrea!" Emma said into the microphone, her voice echoing around the Danger Room.

Andi ground her teeth. She was doing her best! Most of these other kids had training before, but not her or Nick . . .

"Hey," Claus said. "Don't vorry about the Ice Queen."

"Why's she so serious about this?" Andi asked, wiping some sweat from her brow. "It's only our second day!"

"Because she's a Frost, and that's vhat Frosts do." Claus looked up. "Look out!" He grabbed Andi's hand and teleported them away just in time to miss being toasted by a flame thrower.

Andi sighed. "Thanks," she said, adjusting her visor. "I can't get used to it."

"You vill," Claus said. He teleported away, and Andi took off running.

* * *

"Hey!" Evalyn yelled. "Vatch out!" She kicked Jake out of the way.

"Hey, thanks!" Jake grinned.

"Just make sure I don't have to do it again," Evalyn grinned, teleporting away. Jake grinned and saw a hammer swinging at him. "Aw, crud." He turned to metal just as the hammer slammed into him.

* * *

Selena flipped and performed complex moves, escaping lasers, until she rammed into Gwen. "Hey!" Selena said as a piece of her hair was shot off. "What's your problem, runt?" She shouldered her way past her, and Gwen sneered at her back.

_Don't do it, Gwen, _Christian said in her mind.

_She thinks she's so much better than the rest of us!_ Gwen thought as her claws shot out and she attacked a large machine gun._ Just because she's had S.H.I.E.L.D. training! I've been training just as long as she has._

_Don't let her get to ya, sis, _Chris thought. _She wants it._

_She might get it, she keeps it up, _Gwen said with a disdainful looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

_It's the second day of training. Don't do anything rash. Alright?_

She did a mental sigh. _Fine._ She jumped off the ruined machine gun and attacked the next one.

* * *

Ayesha looked up at the lasers shooting from the ceiling. "Hey, Nicolas," she said. "Think you can get me up there?"

"Hmm. I can try." Nick held out his hands, concentrating on Ayesha, and lifted her into the air, until she was nearly at the top.

"Just hold me there for a sec," Ayesha said, opening the panel on the ceiling. "If I can rewire this, I can get all lasers on the ceiling to stop." She typed in a code, and started on the wires.

"Ayesha, I don't think I can hold you much longer!" Nick said.

"I'm almost finished! Hold on, Nick!" She felt herself fall a few feet. "Almost there!"

"I'm trying . . ." He was sweating and shaking. "I can't!" He let go.

Ayesha screamed as she flailed through the air. She felt Claus grab her waist, and he teleported her almost to the ground, where she fell into Nick.

"Hey," Nick grinned from underneath her. "Did you get it?"

Ayesha scowled and blew some hair out of her face. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

Nikita phased through several machines, causing them all to go up in sparks and smoke. She went solid and smiled at her handy work.

"Ouff!" Christian knocked her over. "Sorry," Chris moaned. "I thought you were still phased."

"It's all good," Nikita said, rolling over. She gasped. "Look out!" She grabbed him, and a spray of bullets went right through them.

"Thanks," Chris smiled when they stopped.

"Sure," she said. She was pelted in the back of her head by a snowball, and she turned to see Raquel, fully iced and on sliding on her ice-bridge. Raquel made kissy faces, and, not paying attention, slammed into a wall.

Chris and Nikita looked at each other and grinned.

* * *

Temperance was moving parts around inside of a machine using her telekinesis when she got a telepathic message from Chris to duck. She hit the ground as a large piece of machinery flew over her head. She looked at her watch. "Danger Room: Simulation 114, Off Mode."

Everything stopped, and Temperance's team looked around in relief.

"That was pretty good, guys," Jean said into the mic. "That's all for today – go relax."

Instead of going to the kitchen with the others, Temperance went into the meeting room, toweling sweat of her brow.

"Jeeves?" Temperance called as she entered. Several lights flickered on, and the television screen flickered on to show a blue screen.

"Yes, Miss Howlett?" asked the electronic British voice.

"Call Stark Tower, please."

"Ah, the infamous Mr. Tony Stark. My master and creator. My father figure you could say –"

"Thank you Jeeves."

"Oh, you are no fun!" The phone started ringing, and Tony's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Temp. What's going on?"

"Not much," she replied, sitting down.

"Not much, indeed!" Jeeves added. "No one has paid any attention to me since these new _children _showed up."

"Jeeves," Tony said. "Grow up." He leaned back in his chair. "Whatcha need, Temp?"

"I wanted to talk to you about reprogramming Jeeves . . ."

With a gasp, Jeeves logged off, and Tony and Temperance grinned. "Really, I just wanted to let you know that everythings going great. The new equipment for the Danger Room is great."

"Good. Is Kurt's girls Image Inducer holding up?"

"Yeah. She hasn't had it on for longer than an hour, but so far it's working fine."

"Great. So." He leaned back, kicking his feet up. "Why did you really call me?"

Temperance sighed. "I have _no _idea what I'm doing, Tony. It's harder than I thought, leading this team. I _feel _like no one thinks I'm any good at this. Everyone is so tense. Jake doesn't like Chris, Chris doesn't like Nick, _no one _likes Selena." She sighed, setting her head in her hands. "I'm scared."

"Hey," Tony said. "You're doing fine, trust me. Your dad is so proud of you. And that Selena kid, she runs with S.H.I.E.L.D., right?"

"Yeah."

"Then no one is ever going to like her. Trust me, I know." He smiled. "You're going to do great, Temperance, ok? You're a great leader, you're quick, you're smart." He smiled. "You're a real . . . paragon."

"Paragon?"

"Yeah. You know. A treasure, a gem. One of a kind." Tony's eyes lit up. "I just had a great idea. I'll call you later."

"I – ok, I guess. Love you, Tony."

"Love you too, kid. Keep up the good work." He logged off, and Temperance was alone.


	8. Chapter 7

"What's for breakfast? I'm starving." Gwen plopped down in a chair.

"Pancakes," Storm replied. "Blueberry or chocolate chip?"

"Did I hear someone say Storm was cooking?" Christian exclaimed, coming into the kitchen, still wearing his pajamas.

Soon the kitchen was filled, and pancakes were going all around. The table was filled with chatter and laughter.

"Wait." Gwen stopped, sniffing the air. She stood. "Somethings not right."

Logan was up too. He looked at Gwen. "Gwen, come with me." The two left the room.

"Someone's here," Logan said.

"Ya don't say?" The two spun around.

Standing in front of them was a girl, about eighteen by looks. Her hair was straight and a bright red-orange, and she had stunning blue eyes. She smiled, reveling perfect teeth, and put one hand on her hip. She wore a black cat suit, with red cuffs and boots, along with a red belt, pulled down to the side by a gun in its holster. Two swords hung on her back, and she had a black face mask in her hand.

"The hell are you?" Gwen and Logan said at the same time.

She smiled widely again. "Arianna, but I go by 22."

"What do you want?" Gwen growled. By this time the rest of the X-Men had gathered behind them.

"Isn't it obvious?" 22 asked. "I want to be an X-Man."

* * *

"Alright, so, tell me about yourself," Alex said, sitting across from 22.

She sat back in the chair, her legs crossed, looking perfectly at ease.

"First off," she said with a smirk. "Don't try and read my mind – it won't work. Second, I'm wondering why _yo__u'r__e_ evaluating me instead of the older X-Men."

"Class five telepath," Alex responded. "But apparently, that won't work."

"Nah," she said. "Trust me, there have been attempts."

"So what do you do?"

She sighed, leaning back. "The always ask that, eh? I'm a Mercenary."

"What, like, you get hired to kill people?"

"I prefer not to kill unless my client has a very good reason."

"How'd you get started in that?"

She shrugged. "I've got enhanced aim and reflexes from my mutation. The swords felt natural to me, and I never miss with a gun. But I want to renounce my ways. I want to be an X-Man."

"Why?"

She snorted. "What, I need a reason? You people are fast and quick. And protected. I wouldn't mind any of that."

Alex frowned. "Where did you come from?"

"Grew up in Colorado, and moved around since I was twelve."

"Do you have any family?"

"My mom took off after I was born, and my Dad is dead. I grew up with an aunt."

"And then you left?"

"She thought I was in a private school in Idaho. Really I was training. When I was fourteen I got hired for the first time, and my hit took me back to my home town in Colorado." Her eyes got slightly distant. "It was my first kill, but still the most vivid in my memory."

"So, you just want to stop killing people for a living and start new with the X-Men?" Alex asked.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Something doesn't seem right."

"It's my hair, right? God, why does no one believe me when I say it's naturally that color?"

Alex smiled. "Get all that, Logan?"

"Yeah," said the older X-Man, coming from the shadows. 22 smirked as though she knew he was there the whole time.

"You really want to join the team, kid?"

"Yes."

He paused. "You don't smell like yer lying. Alright, listen. You can stay here a few days. You do ok, we'll think about making your stay permanent."

"Thanks." She got up to leave the room.

"One last thing, kid," Logan said. "Your first hit, back in Colorado. Who was he?"

22 looked coldly over her shoulder. "He was a mutant. He was evil and manipulative, too. So I took him out." She turned to leave again.

"And what was his name?"

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Ever hear of a mutant called _Deadpool_?"


	9. Chapter 8

"Do you really think it wise to trust her?" Emma asked Logan as she brushed out her hair that night.

"She doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her. Didn't smell like a liar, didn't move like a thief." He chuckled. "Kinda reminds me of Gambit when he first moved in."

"But what if she's –" Emma started to say.

"It's not Mystique," Logan cut her off. "I'd smell her. Not to mention she's been missing for what? Nearly two decades?"

Emma sighed. "If you're sure, darling."

Logan sighed, coming up behind Emma and wrapping his arms around her waist. "She's just a kid, Em," he said as he kissed her neck.

"Mm. I'll give it a shot." She pulled him into the bed.

* * *

Temperance rolled over and looked at her alarm clock for the eighth time. Three oh three in the morning. She sighed, not able to sleep. She rolled onto her back and put her hands behind her head. _Chris? You awake?_

_Yeah. I'm having trouble sleeping._

_Me too._

_You're doing fine, Temp. _

_We've been at it for almost two weeks, Christian. I don't think anyone is hardly even trying._

_Sure they are. Give it time. Now get some rest, ok?_

_Okay. Night._

Temperance sighed and rolled over again, and tried to sleep. Finally, with an angry sigh, she threw her feet over the bed, slipping into her silk robe and slippers. She opened her door quietly and walked quietly down the hall, and she slipped into the Danger Room. Flipping the lights on, she opened the panel on the wall and typed in a code. Suddenly, she was in a cave. Gems shone from the walls – simulations of topaz, sapphire, ruby's, emeralds, and especially diamonds. A clear, crystal pool was in the middle, and Temperance sat on the side of it. Sighing, she leaned back.

"Wow. So this place is more than flamethrowers and lasers."

Temperance smiled as Nicolas sat down next to her. "This is my quiet place. I come here when I get lonely or upset, or confused."

Nick whistled low under his breath. "Don't blame you. Look at this place."

Temperance smiled. "Can't sleep?"

"Nah. Every time I try to sleep, Andi wakes me up. She has nightmares something awful."

"About what?" she frowned.

Nick sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Lots of fire and destruction. She's a telekinetic, and when she dreams, even her thoughts shake so loud I can hear them."

"You're a telepath, too."

"Yeah." He grinned. "With lasers and mindy-movey powers."

She laughed. "

"And you're telepathic and telekinetic, right?" Nick asked.

"Yeah. Plus, there's the diamond thing."

Nick put his chin in his hand and looked at her innocently.

She laughed. "Alright!" She phased to diamond, and Nick studied her intently.

"Of all the gems in this room . . ." he shook his head.

Slightly embarrassed, Temperance phased back to normal.

"So . . ." Temperance looked at him. "You went nearly eighteen years without knowing your parents were X-Men."

"Crazy, huh?" He shook his head. "I always knew they were mutants. You can't exactly hide it. Not with a mutation like Dads. And I've always known Rachel was my sister. I just always figured she looked old for her age." He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," Temperance said softly.

Nick shrugged. "It doesn't bother me nearly as much as it bothers Andi. She has a hard enough time, and she's so serious all the time."

"Just give her time," Temperance said.

The two were silent, sitting there in front of the pool. Temperance's hand accidentally brushed Nicks, and she looked down. "Nice scar."

"Huh?" Nick said. "Oh, yeah." He held it up. "Andi zapped me by accident."

Temp smiled. "Want to see a really cool scar?"

"Uh, sure."

Temperance pulled up her shirt and pulled her pants down about an inch. Nick caught a brief glimpse of a lacey undergarment, and he adverted his eyes, focusing on the long, jagged line from her belly button to her waist.

"Holy crap," Nick said. "What happened?"

She opened her mouth to tell him, and suddenly a voice came on in the room.

"Oh, Temperance! Oh, where are you?"

"Stop messing around, Jeeves," Temperance said. She got up and turned her settings off, returning the room to its normal metal state.

"Oh, there you are! I have my oh-so-wonderful creator on the phone for you. I did try to tell him you were sleeping, but you know how he can be . . ."

"Just put him on, Jeeves."

"Fine, then!"

A hologram flickered on, and Tony stood there, looking frazzled. "Temp, glad you're awake! I have something for you."

"At four in the morning?"

"Is it four? Huh. I'm out of the country. Anyway, I'm sending it over in my teleportation device. Tell me if the device works."

"Alright."

Nick stood a few feet behind, and Temperance cleared her throat. "Tony, this is Nicolas Summers. Nick, this is Tony Stark."

"Summers?" Tony looked up. "Scott's boy, right?"

"Yes. Sir."

"Nice to meet you. Temperance being hard on you?"

"Beating the living hell out of us, sir," said Nick, and Temperance shot him a glare.

"Good, good. Here it comes, Temp."

A long tube on the side of the wall lit up, and a package appeared under it.

"Hey, it worked!" Temp said. "Would that work for people?"

"I wouldn't recommend it. Clint got the bright idea to try it and Dr. Strange spent three and a half hours putting his body back together the right way."

Temperance smiled and picked up the package. "Did you need anything else?"

"Uh, yeah, actually. Can we speak in private?"

"Sure. Nick, can you give us a moment?" Nicolas smiled and bid Tony farewell before exciting the Danger Room.

"Listen, I don't want to get you worked up," Tony said. "But Spider-Man and the Sentry went into the Savage Lands yesterday, and we lost contact with them."

Temperance's heart sped up. "Have you told Dad?"

"Not yet. He'll go parading in there like an idiot. I don't think this is much of a threat, but I think it would be worth checking out. Maybe a certain new team of teenage mutant not-turtles could look into it?"

Temperance hesitated as her first chance at a mission, then she nodded. "We'll take it."

Tony nodded. "I want you and your team at Stark Towers tomorrow morning. Oh, and Temp," he smiled and winked. "Open your package." And he logged off.

Taking her package up to her room, she flipped the lights on. She carefully lifted the lid off of the white box and she pulled out some clothes.

The outfit was white. There was a pair of tight pants made from a stretchy material. The belt was a shining platinum, with a white (X) on the middle. The shirt was made of the same material, with long sleeves that ended in a loop around her middle fingers. The shirt started right above her belly button. Platinum knee-high boots that matched the belt lay under the outfit. Finally, a platinum colored choker was found, with a diamond letter in the middle – _P._

Temperance smiled. She wasn't just a teenager training for battle anymore.

She was an X-Man.

She was Paragon.


	10. Chapter 9

Christian whistled lowly. "Damn, Tony. These are beast."

Christian, Temperance, Nick, Alex, Ayesha, and Tony Stark stood in the meeting room, looking at their costumes.

Christian, who had assumed the codename Auger, had a bright red costume, with black gloves and boots, a black utility belt for his knives, and a simple black mask.

Nick called himself Shield, after the man he was named for. He had an outfit similar to Scott's, with a blue mask.

Alex, who called himself Tycoon, had a black costume, with silver shoes and a silver headband, along with a silver cape.

Ayesha had a dark blue skirt with red leggings, along with a red tank top. Blue boots and a blue mask went with it.

"I know, right?" Tony beamed. "I have one for everyone. You're going to need them to go to the Savage Lands."

"So," Temperance said. "I guess we need to give the others their uniforms and leave."

"With your brand new Quinjet!" Tony said.

Temperance gasped. "Tony, you didn't!"

"I did! I know that the car I got you for your birthday didn't work out –"

"Gwen crashed it," Alex whispered to Nick.

" –So here's a jet!"

"Tony, I can't accept this," Temp said.

He looked dumbstruck. "You're a Frost."

Christian laughed. Temperance smiled. "Tony . . . thanks."

"Hey. I'd be offended if you didn't take it. Lets get the others their outfits."

Gwen smiled at her outfit – it was like a female version of her fathers, mask and all. She had taken to the name Tigress, and she extended her claws.

Claus pulled his gloves on, examining his bright blue outfit with green gloves. He was calling himself Shadowstalker. Evalyn's outfit was the same, only green with blue gloves. She had taken the codename of Mystic.

Andi examined herself in the mirror. She wore white tights with a white long sleeved spandex shirt. A gold belt looped around her waist, along with simple gold flats and a gold visor. She smiled, realizing that her codename "Legacy" was a perfect fit.

Nikki had a dark purple skirt with black tights, along with a black baby tee and a purple mask. She looked at herself in the mirror, and smiled when she saw just how hot her costume was. She was known as Aura.

Jake, on the other hand, wore just boxer-like shorts and a tight, yellow shirt with a black X on it. He phased to metal, decided he looked cool, and decided to go with his first choice in names – Siege.

Raquel wore a simple blue body suit that would shift with her elemental powers. The name on her back was "The Mistake."

Finally, Selena and 22, who really didn't like each other but were hanging out because of their similarities, entered. Selena, who was known as Brown Recluse in honor of her mentor Black Widow, wore her S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, and 22 wore what she had come in. She spun her sword around in boredom, and had a sticky note on her chest that read "Hello, my name is Your Awesomest Nightmare."

Temperance looked around at her band of X-Men, pretty satisfied with the outcome. She looked at Tony, who nodded. "All right, X-Men!" Temp called. "To the Jet!"

Alex and Gwen, who were the best pilots, took the jet up, and they were off to Antarctica.

"So what is this place?" Andi asked.

"It's a prehistoric land in the Arctic region," Temperance said. She pulled up a holographic map, and pointed. "This is where Peter and Bob's jet went off the radar. We'll start there."

"I can't believe we're actually going into the Savage Lands," Chris said.

"Wait a sec," 22 said. "Did you say the Savage Lands?"

"Yeah," he said. "So?"

"We're screwed."

"Why?" Andi frowned.

22 stood. "Because," she said. "You don't go into the Savage Lands without crashing."

As if on cue, the plane bounced, and the only one who stayed on their feet was 22.

"Everyone ok?" Alex asked. "Hold on!"

There was a crash, and the X-Men went rolling about.

Temp raised her head. "Shit. Everyone here?"

"Ouch," Gwen snapped.

"Sorry!" Claus yelped.

"Alright, everyone grab onto each other," Nikki said. "I'm going to phase us out."

A few moments later, everyone was on the ground. They looked around.

"Where do we start?" asked Jake.

"We should split up," Chris said. "Everyone take a Communicator."

"He's right," Temperance said. "Chris can take Claus, Evalyn, and Nikki. Nick can take Jake, Alex, and Ayesha. Selena can take 22 and Andi. And I'll take Gwen and Raquel."

"Good idea," Nick said. "Lets go."

The teams went their separate ways, each heading off in a different direction.

* * *

"Do you smell that?" Gwen stopped, and a growl escaped her throat.

"What is it?" Temperance asked.

"It smells funny. Like literally . . ." she giggled. "F-funny." She laughed harder, and then Raquel started laughing too. The laughter hit Temp in the head, and she shoved it back with a blast of telepathy. She shifted to diamond form, immune to any mind games.

"Temperance!"

She spun around. "Peter!" she exclaimed. "Is it you?"

"Of course," said Spider-Man. "Who else?"

"Someone is messing with them!" Temp said, with a glance at Gwen and Raquel. "And I can't read who in this form . . . Pete, what _happened? _Everyone is worried sick! Where's Bob?"

"It's a long story . . ." Peter looked around. "Look, we have to get out of here."

"I can't just leave them!" Temperance said, gesturing to Gwen, who was doubled over, and Raquel, who was rolling on the ground laughing.

"Temp . . ." Gwen croaked through the laughter. "Watch out!"

Temp turned back to Peter just in time to be kicked backwards by him. She jumped up. "Peter, what the hell are you doing?"

"Peter is otherwise preoccupied," he said. "But I'm sure I can help you with something." His form shifted. His head was covered with a heavy helmet, and he wore green and yellow. Temperance stepped back.

"Loki!" She snarled. "I thought the score was settled!" She dodged a kick to the head, lashing out with her fist. Loki stepped aside easily. Temp faked left and went right, tripping Loki. "What have you done with Spider-Man and The Sentry?"

"Care to find out?" mocked the God, teleporting behind Temp and grabbing her arms. Losing concentration, she shifted back to normal, and Loki blocked her mind, preventing her from shifting back. He twisted her arms hard behind her back, and she cried out.

* * *

"Hey," 22 said as she walked through the woods. "Does this place give you that 'Creepy Death Trap Vibe?'"

"Slightly," Andi said. She looked around. "I've got goosebumps."

"Why?" Selena rolled her eyes. "Nothing bad's happening."

With that, a great hissing noise came from the trees, and several human-like creatures dropped from the trees.

"Mutates," 22 said. "Nice going, S.H.I.E.L.D."

Selena was already loading her gun. 22 had her swords in front of her, and Andi's hand rested on her visor.

"Wait a minute," Andi said. "Hear that?"

There was several shots, and the Mutates fell like rocks. A man ran out from the woods. "Everyone alright?"

"Fine," Selena said. "Who are you?"

He had cropped white hair, and a large portion of his body seemed to be mechanical.

"Name's Cable," he said, reloading. He looked at Andi. "You're Andrea?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Because," Cable said, propping his gun on his shoulder. "You're my sister."

* * *

Nick jumped over a log and looked around the clearing. "This is too weird. We haven't heard anything from the others, and it's dead quiet. Something gotta happen soon."

"I think it just did," Alex said, pointing at the sky. "Either I'm seeing things, or there's a big, purple bird coming at us."

"That's not just any giant purple bird!" Ayesha said. "Look out!"

The three of them dodged. The bird landed, and they realized it was a young woman with purple hair and bird wings.

"Deathbird!" Ayesha said.

"Who?" Nick asked.

"She's Empress Lilandra's sister!" Alex said. "From the Shi'ar Empire. What's she doing here?"

Nicks leg was suddenly shooting pain. He felt himself on the ground, and saw a razor-sharp whip wrapped around his leg.

"Let him go!" Ayesha yelled, jumping from tree to tree until she was on Deathbirds back.

"Stupid monkey!" screamed the alien. "Get off of me! Alright, alright, I surrender! White flag!"

Ayesha jumped off her, and Deathbird ruffled her feathers. "Hmph. No need to get huffy."

"Why did you attack us?" Alex demanded.

"I thought you were mutates!" Deathbird sneered. "Disgusting creatures."

"What are you doing here?"

"Some of my loyals have gone missing. The signs pointed to here. There are fellons all over this place. HYDRA, Ymir, the Mandarin, Loki, Typhoid Mary . . ."

"Wait," Alex said. "Did you say Loki?"

* * *

Chris pushed Nikita out of the way just as a tree fell. They were running from the Mutates, who were destroying the forest in the process. Claus and Evalyn were teleporting them into the air and dropping them, but there were too many. There was a sudden blur, and all of the mutates were suddenly on the ground, unconscious or dead.

Chris sighed in relief and looked at their savior – she has white-blond hair, and was wearing a white and blue futuristic suit, and she had tattoos curling down her cheek bones.

"Thanks," Chris breathed.

"No problem," she said, helping him up. She smiled. "You must be Christian. I'm Luna."

"Oh," Chris said. "Pietro's kid, right?"

"Right. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for the Avengers. You?"

She shook her head. "Deathbird is lose here. The Shi'ar empire sent me to find her."

"Christian!"

Chris looked to his left, where Alex was approaching. His face was grim. "Christian," he repeated. "Loki's here."

Chirs's eyes widened. "Oh my God. Temp."

* * *

Temperance had twisted from the Mischief Gods grip, and though her mind was still blocked, she summoned enough strength to throw a mental blast at him.

Loki knocked it away easily. "This battle is pointless!" he called. "There's no defeating me."

Temperance was weakened by her last mental blast, and Loki knocked her aside easily with a jolt of power.

_No! _Temperance thought. _No, it can't end like this, not with him, please God not with him . . ._

There was a snarl, and something barreled into Loki. Temperance gained a slight amount of energy back, and pushed herself back a few feet.

The thing that had thrown itself into Loki was large, hairy, and snarling. At first Temperance thought it was her father, but this – man? – was taller. Loki scrambled back and teleported himself away.

Standing, Temperance's savior slowly looked at her. He had pointed, cat like fangs, and long claws extending from his fingers. His eyes glowed as he looked at Temperance.

"Are you alright?" He asked gruffly.

She nodded, in shock. She knew who this was.

"Well . . . good, then."

"Temp!" Christian was running towards them. He collapsed next to Temperance, gathering her in his arms. "God, are you okay? What did he do?"

"I don't know," Temperance said. "He, he just showed up. I was surprised, and I just . . . I . . . I . . ." She buried her head in her brothers shoulder and cried.

"The hell are you?" Andi asked, looking at the furry man.

"His name is Sabretooth," Gwen said, standing and regaining her breath.

At the name, 22 drew her gun and pointed it at him, Jake phased into metal, and Christian put his hand on his knife.

"Stop," Gwen said. "He just saved Temps life."


	11. Chapter 10

The X-Jet landed, and Gwen was impressed that it didn't crash. Forge must have found a way around it.

Tents were set up all over the place – Temperance was in the medical one, resting after her battle with Loki.

The first one off the plane was Logan, with Emma close behind. Logan went right up to Sabretooth and grabbed him by his shirt and snarled "What did you do?"

Gwen but in. "He saved Temperance from Loki!"

Logan released Sabretooth, who growled.

"What happened here?"

"We split up," Chris said. "Deathbird attacked, but surrendered; thought the X-Men were mutates. She's over there. Cable and Luna showed up and saved some of us from the Mutates; and Loki attacked Temperance."

Logan looked at Sabretooth. "You saved my girl." He narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"It's not the girl I have a problem with," growled Sabretooth.

Logan smiled slightly, and turned to Chris. "Where is she?"

Christian led his father and mother into the tent, where Temperance was sitting up. Nick was beside her, holding her hand. The two let go when Logan and Chris came in, and Chris crossed his arms and scowled.

"Hi, honey," Logan said, sitting beside his daughter.

She smiled weakly. "Hi, Dad."

"I'm so sorry this happened to you again."

"Again?" Nick asked. "Has this happened to her before?"

The room was silent. Finally, Emma spoke. "About a week before Temperance was born, an Asgardian prophecy said a girl would be born from diamond and metal, and that she would be the one to save Asgard from false relatives of the mighty Odin. Loki found out about the prophecy and attempted to kidnap her after she was born. Logan, of course, stopped him and brought Temperance home. Then, when she was eleven, she was playing in the garden when two snakes attacked her, nearly killing her. A year later, she was out with her sapien friends, and she was attacked and exposed as a mutant in front of Times Square. And when she was sixteen, she was transported to Asgard by Loki, whom she preceded to battle. In the end, he stabbed her and thought she was dead. Thor brought her home and we healed her. She was very close to death."

The whole room was silent again. Nick realized that must be where her scar came from, and he shook his head. "Unbelievable." He stood. "I'll kill him!"

"That makes two of us who want to," Chris snapped. "You don't know anything about this family! So why don't you just butt out and mind your own damned business!"

"Christian Troy!" Emma gasped. "Shame on you."

"No, he's right," Nick said. He nodded at Temperance. "Feel better soon." He turned to leave.

"Nick, wait," Temperance called, but he kept going.

Nick entered the clearing, where Andi was arguing with their parents.

"What's going on?" Nick asked, sulking over.

Andi jabbed a thumb at Cable. "This lunatic says he's our brother!"

"Uh, he is," Rachel coughed.

They all looked at each other – Scott looked at Rachel, who looked at Jean, who looked at Andi, who was just staring. After a moment, she spun around and stormed off.

"Anything else you'd care to tell us about?" Nick asked sarcastically before running off after his sister.

"I don't think ve are doing a very good job of this, sis," Claus told his sister as they walked through the woods in search of the missing Avengers.

"Ve're doing fine," his sister waved him off. "Some of those kids are _vay _to high-maintenance."

"Do you think ve should turn back?" Claus asked. "It's getting dark."

"Yes, lets go."

The two siblings made their way back towards the camp, but Evalyn stopped. "Vait. Do you hear that?"

"Yes. But vhere is it coming from?"

They followed the low, buzzing noise that seemed to lead into the east wooded area. As they walked farther, the buzzing grew louder. Finally, they stopped.

"The Avengers Jet!" Claus gasped.

The low buzzing noise was the radio, which was broken. The two of them jumped on top of the jet, and Evalyn teleported pieces of rubble away. Finally, she heard a moan.

"I have found him!" She pulled out the man called Spider-Man; Claus was pulling the Sentry from a burnt pile of rubble.

"Mister Spidey-Man, are you ok?" Evalyn asked. He groaned in response, and she looked at her brother, who nodded.

They teleported back to the camp.

Back at the camp, 22 and Selena were cleaning their guns with Captain America's daughter, K.C., who had come along with the X-Men to get some experience. They also had Cable in the circle, and they were silent until 22 broke the silence.

"So what are all these villains doing in the Savage Lands?"

"No clue," Cable said. "But there are lots of them here."

"There's gotta be a reason."

"Well, we can't stick around. After we find the missing Avengers, we have to get back. We have to train!" Selena said.

On cue, the Wagner children appeared in front of the teens – plus Cable – holding Peter and Bob up.

"Oh, shit," Selena said. "Logan, come quick!"

* * *

"Peter Parker, you are in _so _much trouble!"

Peter groaned and hit his head against the head board. "Alright, which one of you brought Mary Jane along? Well? Logan? Tony?"

MJ put her hands on her hips, their daughter Mae in a similar stance.

"Uh. Hi, honey. I'm so glad to see you," Peter said.

Temperance smiled from where she leaned up against the tent. A moment later, Bob's wife Lindy rushed in. She started scolding her husband about disappearing, and Temperance snuck out the door.

Nick was waiting for her outside. She sat on the ground beside him, and the two of them just sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Temperance said in a low voice, "At the end of the Prophecy, it said Loki would kill me."

"Alex told me."

Temperance put her cheek in her hand. "Is it wrong that I don't want to die? That I want to live my life and enjoy it?"

"Why would it be wrong?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything about that. I just wonder . . ."

"Well, don't."

The two of them were silent again.

"I'm sorry about your sister," Temperance said.

Nick shrugeed. "She'll get over it. But, c'mon, that's two alternate universe siblings. How many more is there going to be?"

Temperance smiled. They looked at each other, and Nick leaned in.

His lips gently grazed hers, and she closed her eyes and gave in. But then she opened her eyes. "Nick . . . No. We can't. I . . . I think we should just be friends. We can't let whatever this is get in the way of the new X-Men."

"Oh," Nick said, disappointment clear on his face. "I see."

"Nick, please . . ."

"No. No, I understand." He stood, and nodded. "I'll, uh. I'll see you later." And he left Temperance sitting against the tent, mentally smacking herself over and over again.


	12. Chapter 11

There was a rustling in the bushes; Logan was the first to hear it. Standing, his extended his claws. As the rustling got closer, Logan snarled and jumped in the bushes.

Gwen and Emma ran out first, sensing the disturbance, followed by the rest.

There was kicking and screaming until Logan and someone else rolled into the clearing. Logan held the other down, his claws extended.

Deadpool wriggled, trying to get free.

"Wilson!" Logan snarled. "What are you doing here?"

"Apparently, bottoming."

Logan jumped off the mercenary, who stood and brushed himself off.

"So what's the deal?" Gwen asked.

Deadpool started to say something, but was interrupted.

"What is _he _doing here?" Everyone parted, letting 22 through. Her fist were balled around her swords, and she looked pissed.

"Hi, Ari!" Deadpool said, jumping into Nick's arms. "Don't let her near my you-know-whatsits!"

Nick dropped him, and Deadpool scrambled up.

22 rushed at him, her sword raised – Deadpool easily blocked with his own sword. The two attacked, the sound of swords clashing making the others ears ring. Deadpool and 22 were equally matched in every way.

Finally, Deadpool pulled a gun from his holster, aimed, and fired off four rounds.

Emma changed to diamond form as the younger kids screamed; she grabbed Deadpool around the neck, ready to snap it at a moments notice.

"_You son of a bitch! _You _shot _me! You shot me right in the _chest!_" As the smoke cleared, you could see where 22's wounds were healing over as though nothing had ever happened.

Deadpool wriggled out of Emmas hold. "Does this mean I win?"

"You cheated, stupid."

"Did not."

"Did too."

22 rolled her eyes. "Who wrote this stupid script anyway? It's Bendis, right? Freaking Bendis, always thinking he can mess with the olden days! When I get my hands on him . . ."

"Nah, it's not Bendis. It's something else," Deadpool replied. "I think it's called FictonFan or something."

"What are you two talking about?" Gwen asked.

22 looked at her. "Woops. I forgot I was here."

"Okay, stop! What's going on, you two?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, did I forget to mention it to you, Wolverine?" 22 asked.

"Mention what?" demanded the older X-Man.

"Deadpool wasn't just my first hit. . ."

Deadpool put his arm around 22. "I'm her daddy!"

"Get off, you smell like cheese and B.O.!" Exclaimed 22, pushing Deadpool away. "God, you're such an asshole." she spun around and walked towards her tent.

"Let me know if you want me to tuck you in and read you a bed time story!" Deadpool called after her. He chuckled to himself. "I am such a good dad."

"You have to be screwing me," Logan said.

"No way!" Deadpool sat down next to Cable, who grunted his hello. This was nothing out of the norm for him.

"Who's her mother?" Logan asked.

Deadpool tapped his chin. "Pretty sure it was Emma that I was with that night. Or Jean. Or Kitty. Or all three."

Emma and Jean looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

"Anyway, that's not important," Deadpool said. "What _is _important, is, hey, Deadpool is here! And now you can invite me to be an X-Man."

"Uh, no," Rachel said.

"C'mon! Pretty please! With Stan Lee's dandruff on top?"

Jean shook her head. "You're so weird."

"That's the point!" Exclaimed the Merc. "You _need__ weird!_ Please, please, please!"

"Fine!" Logan snapped. "We'll try this - _again_ - and see if you last."

"Oh boy! Oh Boy!" Deadpool held up his hand for a high five.

Everyone walked away.


	13. Chapter 12

"I'm not kicking you to the curb," promised Temperance as she walked down the hall with Nick after they got home from the Savage Lands.

"It's alright," Nick said. "I understand."

"No, you don't." Temperance sighed. "Come with me."

Temperance pulled him into the Danger Room, where she typed in a code; they were suddenly standing in front of the Mansion.

Nick looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"This was the Mansion as it was eighteen years ago," Temperance said, walking through the Mansion's front door with Nick close behind her. It looked the same as it did now, but there were pictures all over the walls.

Temerance stopped in front of the first picture; It was Charles Xavier.

"He was the first X-Man," Temp said softly. "A team leader, and a father figure." She turned and gazed at Nick. "He died in the accident."

"Temperance," Nick said, jogging to keep up with Temperance's fast past as she excelled down the hallway. "What exactly _happened _anyway?" He stopped in front of another picture; it was of a young red haired girl with the green phoenix suit on; it took Nick only a moment to realize it was his mother.

Temperance tilted her head at a photo of Logan, next to another photo of Emma.

"They say it was all just one big mistake; the Professor was in his study when there was a disturbance. He tried to warn Emma and Jean, but by the time they got to the Professor, he was dead. There had been some sort of mental breakdown in the Professors head. Jean and Emma were so consumed with grief, no one even noticed that the lamp the Professor had knocked over in his fall had caught the curtains on fire." Nick could smell the smoke and hear the screams as though he were there.

"The fire quickly spread; normally something the X-Men could handle. But the mansion was large, and Scott, Logan, Rogue, Kitty, and Bobby were away on a mission. Emma and Jean got most of the students out; there were two casualties. Storm almost died as well; when she tried to put out the flames with rain, it just created steam, which hit her full on, burning her back and chest. Remy was caught under a piece of debris, and his leg hasn't worked right since. Even Kurt lost his arm when he went in to save the students. And all the X-Men could do was watch their home burn."

"No wonder they disbanded," Nick muttered.

Temperance nodded sadly. "All I want is to keep our new team safe." She looked over at him. "But I can't stop thinking about you when we go into battle. Don't get me wrong; I like you, too. A lot. And I wish things could be different. But things will just take a turn for the worse. You're still my second in command and my friend, though, Nick." The stimulation was turned off, and Temperance smiled and took Nick's hand. "Always."

Nick smiled. "I'll walk you to your room."

The two walked slowly together, savoring their precious moment, and when they reached her room, she turned to Nick and smiled. "Thanks." She turned away to enter her room.

"Wait." Nick grabbed her arm and pulled her back into him, planting his lips firmly on hers. Temperance put a hand on his head, closing her eyes and wishing the world away.

But the kiss ended, and she took a step back. Slowly and reluctantly letting go of his arm, she entered her suite.

She closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh, hearing Nick's footprints disappear down the hallway. Temperance took a few more deep breaths, her face burning. She flipped on the light to her tiny suite.

"Don't you think it's a bit late to be getting in, hm? And someone of your importance. Naughty, naughty."

Temperance blinked in surprise; there, sitting casually with his legs crossed and his arms on the rests of Temp's favorite chair, sat Loki.

Temperance moved across the room calmly. "Sorry," she said. "But if you're here for the maid position, it's been filled." She reached under the sofa; Loki tensed slightly, and then relaxed again once he realized it was only a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of bourbon in Temperance's hand.

"Hope you don't mind," she said, lounging on the couch. "Rough day." She poured herself a glass of her alcohol, and light a thin cigarette. "Horrid habits, I know, but I guess that's what you get hanging around Tony Stark for so many years." She took a long drag off her cigarette. "Help yourself."

Loki casually poured himself a glass, leaning back in his chair. He took a sip, and then nodded in approval. "You have exquisite taste in your drink."

"Don't I know it." She lazily flicked some ashes into her ashtray.

"Now, I'm going to tell you exactly what is going to happen, Temperance, so pay close attention. The Winter Solstice is in four days. On said day, we will battle, and I will kill you." He took a drink.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I shall kill everyone in this mansion, one by one."

Temperance looked down into her glass, mulling things over as she sloshed her drink around. "And if I'm to win?"

"You won't. You know the Prophecy."

"But say I do." She looked up. "I win your battle, and this is over. You will never come near me, nor my friends again, and you will obey the command of Odin."

Loki smiled. "A reasonable bargain. We have a deal. But you will lose."

Temperance just smile. "Of course I won't, darling. I'm a Frost."

And Loki was gone.


	14. Chapter 13

"No. There is absolutely no way I can let you do this." Gwen crossed her arms, starring down her older sister.

"Good thing I asked for your permission," Temperance shot back quickly. "Listen, the only reason I even told you about this is because I need you to cover for me, understand? And if you tell anyone, I swear to God I will get you back." Her eyes softened. "This must end once and for all. And I have a plan." _Lie. _

Gwen rubbed her temples, contemplating her choices. She could tell her father. Or she could go to Tony himself, who would tell Thor.

Or she could keep her mouth shut and let her sister get herself killed.

"This is an awful idea."

"I won't be stalked the rest of my life until I end up dead in my bed!" Temperance sat down and took her sisters hands. "Please, Gwen."

Gwen bit her lip.

* * *

Nick sighed, looking out the window in his room. There was a knock.

Andi came in. "Where were you? You didn't come to breakfast this morning."

"Just thinking."

Andi sat beside her brother. "Why do you like her so much?" She asked quietly.

"Who?"

"You know who. _Temperance." _

Nick just starred out the window.

"I don't like her," Andi whispered.

"Why not?"

"She's so above it all. She's been preparing for this team since before she could walk, but she expects us to get it in a day." She sighed and put her chin in her palm. "And because she's taken you from me."

Nick looked at her sharply. "Don't be ridiculous," he said. "I'm right here."

"No, you're not," Andi croaked. "Your heart isn't. It's with her."

"Andi, I love you."

"I know."

"Do you know how much?"

"I thought I did." She looked down at her hands, and a tear dripped down from under her sunglasses. "I used to be able to talk to you about what I was going through. About my dreams, my powers. But it seems like every time I try and get near you, she drags you away, or you're too preoccupied thinking about her."

"Don't you think that's a bit selfish?"

Andi looked at her brother; if he could see her eyes, he would have seen anger and pure hurt. "Right," she said. "I'm the selfish one." She got up and left the room.

Andi went to the garage, grabbing her brothers truck keys on the way out. She drove to the ocean, where she sat on the beach and starred out at the red ocean, the red sky, the red birds and red sand . . . Furiously wiping away a tear, Andi stood. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took off her glasses. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and, yelling in anger and pain, aimed for the ocean.

* * *

"You worried one of them will get the Phoenix Force?"

Logan sat across from Jean at a small cafe in New York. Jean nodded as she buttered a piece of bread.

"I know one will. Rachel did, too, remember?"

"What about Nate?"

Jean shrugged at that. "I never see Nate, so I couldn't tell you."

"Who do you think it will be?"

"If I had to guess," Jean said seriously. "I'd say Nick. He's much more like me than his sister."

"Like Gwen got my claws and charming good looks."

Jean laughed at that, taking a bite of bread.

Logan looked out over the Hudson Bay. "I'm worried about Temperance, Jeannie. I tried to talk to Emma about it, but whenever I mention it she gets so upset."

"I would too, if it were my kid."

"She's been lookin' over her should since forever. It's hard to raise a kid like that."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm so damn worried I'm just going to walk in and find her dead one of these days."

"She has managed to hold her own this long," Jean reminded her friend.

"Yeah," Logan said. "But the end of that Asgard bullshit said Loki would kill her."

Jean nodded sadly. She had been with them when the prophecy had been made. At first they thought it was about Christian, but it turned out to be Temperance later on.

Not saying anything for a few minutes, Jean broke the silence. "Rachel is pregnant."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "No kiddin'? You think her and Franklin are ready for kids?"

"I think they'll be alright, but . . ." she shook her head. "I'm going to be a grandmother."

"You're still young. Rachel's only in her early thirties. Besides, you didn't technically raise her until she was older."

"True. . ." Jean nodded. She sighed again and frowned. "Scott is going to call Alex"

"Ha. How will that go?"

"I'm not sure. They haven't seen each other in years."

"Anyone ever get a hold of Warren?"

"He refuses to speak to us."

"Damn."

"I know. His daughter would be a great addition to the team."

"He'll give in eventually."

Jean nodded absentmindedly, biting her pinkie nail.

Logan took her hand across the table, smiling at her. "Everything is going to be alright. Promise."


	15. Chapter 14

Temperance tied her hair back in a long braid. She zipped up her pants and put the rest of her uniform on. She looked out the window; large snowflakes fell to the ground. Temperance grabbed one of her mothers old capes, pulled the hood up, and left her room.

Quietly opening the door to Nick's room, she slowly walked over to his dresser; she laid a white rose on it, along with her necklace with the diamond "P" on it that Tony had made for her costume. Casting one last quick look at Nick, sound asleep in his bed, she left the Mansion.

Stepping outside into the snow, she saw the sun beginning to come up. The heavily falling snow twisted into a deadly quiet tornado of snow.

With one last look over her shoulder at the Mansion, she stepped into the whirlwind of snow.

* * *

Logan knew something wasn't right when he woke up.

Quiet as he could be, he gently got out of bed so he wouldn't wake Emma, and pulled on some jeans. He opened the door, and backed out into the hallway.

He'd had a bad felling all night. He couldn't place his claw on it, but something was defiantly wrong.

He opened Gwen's door, peaking into her bedroom; she was sprawled out, snoring lightly; Logan smiled to himself.

Closing the door, he made his way to Christian's room; he, too, was fast asleep.

Then a terrible thought came to Logan.

He ran down the hall, his bare feet thudding against the plush carpet; he came to Temperance's room and flung open the door; turning on the light.

She was gone.

Nick rolled over, looking out the window. The sun was just coming out. He swung his legs over the bed, stretching. Something on his dresser caught his eye; a white rose, and a diamond necklace.

Smiling, Nick took Temperance's necklace in hand. Pulling on some clothes and quickly brushing his teeth, he wondered out into the hallway, her necklace tucked securely in his pocket.

Everyone was up and about, running around frantically.

Nick grabbed Claus by his shirt.

"Hey, man," he said. "What's going on?"

"Temperance has gone missing!" said the German. "Ve can't find her anyvhere!"

Letting go of the mutant, Nick ran downstairs.

"Mom!" he said, coming to a stop beside Jean, who was speaking frantically with Emma and Christian. "What's happened?"

"We think Temperance has been kidnapped by Loki," Christian spat. "Nice of you to finally show up!"

Nick's eyes widened. "But if she was taken by Loki," he said. "Then why was this on my dresser this morning?" He showed them her necklace.

Christian's face turned red."Oh my God," he said. "Loki didn't come to her."

"She went to Loki," Nick finished in horror.

* * *

Temperance pulled her hood off as she appeared in a horrid place; tree's and plants were wilted, the ground was nothing more than dry dust, and the sky was red. It was terribly hot; Temperance dropped her cape behind her, already beginning to sweat.

"I must say, I'm almost surprised to see you here," said Loki from where he had appeared behind her. He too had stripped of his cape and helmet. "I was nearly positive you would have thought up some plan to buy you some time."

"No," Temperance said. "Not this time. It's been long enough, now."

"I was thinking the exact same thing." Loki's sword materialized in his hand, and he struck.

* * *

"This is where they will be - it is a part of Asgard even Odin does not watch over. Loki often flees to this place."

The X-Men watched as Tony pointed to an area on the map, reciting everything Thor was telling him through a com device. They stood on the roof, next to the Quinjet, ready to jump into action. "Thor cannot enter this place because of the charms Loki has placed over it. You'll have to find your own way through."

"By that time it could be too late!" Emma exclaimed.

"Rachel," Jean said, looking at her daughter. "If we were to combine our Phoenix Force, we could open a worm hole into the correct place of Asgard!"

"I don't know if we have enough power," Rachel said doubtfully. "But it's worth a try."

"Emma," Jean said. "Take down my barriers."

"It's may not be safe, Jean."

"Do you want to save Temperance or not? Take down my barriers!"

Emma nodded, stunned by fierceness in Jean's voice, and placed her hands on Jeans heads.

Almost immediately, Jean's body jerked back, and she was engulfed in flames.

"Mom!" Nick said, but Logan held him back. "Easy, kid. This ain't the first time your mom has done this."

Jean re-appeared, dressed in her green phoenix suit; Rachel' body did the same thing, only she was in the red phoenix suit. Rising into the air, their eyes shinning and their hair flowing freely around them, there was a great crack.

A black hole had appeared above them. It was about the size of the Quinjet.

"Can't get through . . . the spells barriers!" Jean yelled. "Rachel!"

"I can't either!"

No one noticed as the woman struggled, a small line of flame heading straight for Andi. She took a step back as the flame circled her.

_You are the daughter of Jean Grey; You are the daughter of the Phoenix. You are the sister of Rachel Summers; You are the sister of the Phoenix. _

_Who are you? _ Andi asked the voice in her head.

_Your mother, your sister. I am life and death and flame. I am pain and joy. I am Phoenix. And so are you._

_There's a mistake, it can't be me, _Andi objected.

_You have been dreaming of me for years; that of which you call 'Nightmares.' I have always been inside of you, and now I have been released; We are free. _

_But I don't want to be the Phoenix._

_It is not a choice matter. You shall take care of me, and I shall take care of you. We shall both take care of Rachel Summers Phoenix Echo, and Jean Grey's Body. She will no longer be the full Phoenix. She shall have only an echo as well._

_Where does that leave me?_

_The Black Phoenix._

Before Andi knew what was happened, she was rising into the air.

"Andi!" Scott screamed, running for her. He was thrown back as Andi erupted in flames.

When the flames died down, Andi was still hovering in the air; she, too, was wearing a Phoenix outfit, just like her mothers and sister; Only instead of red and gold or green and gold, it was black and gold. Her visor was gone; Andi's eyes still glowed red, though no beams shot out - her optic blasts were under control.

Logan watched all of this with wide eyes. "You were wrong, Jeannie," he said to himself. "Had the wrong kid all along."

Andi joined her mother and sister.

Loki's barrier's shattered like glass.


	16. Chapter 15

Temperance rolled out of the way as Loki's sword came down beside her.

_That was too close for comfort. _

When the sword came at her again, Temperance turned her body to diamond, and blocked the sword with her arm.

The impact sent a jolt up Loki's arm, and he screamed in pain and anger. He swung his sword again, but this time Temperance was ready; still in diamond form, she grabbed the blade and snapped it in half. Grabbing the sharp end of it, she kicked Loki to the ground and held it to his throat.

Loki slowly raised his hands behind his head, and Temperance turned back to normal.

"Impressive," said the God of Mischief. "Even though you cannot truly kill me, you have won the battle. My life is yours."

Temperance pressed the blade to his throat. Could she really kill this man? He was now defenseless, at her mercy. Her parents were two of the most ruthless ex-killers in the world, but she couldn't bring bring herself to kill the man who had been torturing her for years?

With an angry sigh, she threw down the blade. "Keep your life," she said coldly. "But stay well away from me." She walked away.

"Temperance!" She stopped as she heard a familiar voice call her name. "Temperance!"

"Nick!" She called. "What are you doing here?"

He grabbed her in his arms. "I came to save you."

"I won."

"Damn it. So much for my night in shining armor routine."

Temperance smiled at him, but it was cut short; Loki appeared behind Nick. Before Temperance could even scream, Loki plunged his blade deep into Nick's back.

Nick's eyes widened, and he fell to the ground.

Loki calmly wiped his blade on his robes. "You should have known better, really," he said. "The prophecy said I would kill you. I apparently just had to go through him first." He disappeared, only to appear right in front of Temperance, and drive the blade through her heart.

Temperance fell to the ground beside Nick. Loki made sure she was dead, and stood with satisfaction. He started to walk away.

"You have . . . no idea . . . what you've done."

Loki stopped; the boy was still alive. He turned back. "I know very well what I've done," he said. "I've finished the prophecy."

"You've killed yourself," Nick rasped. "Turn around."

Sneering, Loki did just that. When he did, his eyes widened, and he scrambled backwards.

A large, fiery bird was just behind a young woman with wild rust-colored hair and glowing red eyes. She was floating slightly, as though gravity didn't exist.

"N-n-now, now," Loki said nervously, and the force of the bird shoved him backwards, onto his back. He sat up, and the girl got closer.

"The Phoenix is not mercifull," she said. "The Phoenix does not make bargains, so do not try."

"I -I . . ."

"Say nothing!" she yelled, the flames around her growing larger and angrier. "You will be cast out, Loki. You will be tried for your crimes when the Phoenix feels fit. Until then, you are banished, and not permitted to come back to this realm or any other. The Phoenix hereby casts you out of my universe."

With a bright light and a scream from Loki, the God disappeared.

Now the Phoenix looked towards Temperance; the flames circled her, and Nick watched in amazement as her wounds were healed; she gasped and her eyes flew open.

The Phoenix turned to Nick, but before she could heal him, Andi began to sway. She fell to her knees, breathing heavily. She looked up, her eyes red but not shooting beams. "N-Nick?" she called. "Hold on!"

She ran towards him, the other X-Men behind her, but Nick's world was plunged into darkness.

* * *

Blinking open his eyes, Nick looked around him. He was in a bright, white room, and there was an annoying beeping noise coming from somewhere.

Standing above him was Temperance, her hair pulled back off her gorgeous face, looking down on him.

"Hey," she said quietly, smiling.

"Hey," Nick said weakly.

Temperance slipped her hand into his, sitting down beside him. "How do you feel?"

"Tired. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She laid her other hand on her cheek. "Hank says you're going to be fine. Any further to the left, Loki's blade would have kill you."

"Like it did you."

She smiled a little. "Yeah. Like it did me." She was quiet for a moment. "Your sister saved my life."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. She's coping."

Nick laid his head back against his pillows. "The Phoenix."

"The Phoenix," she agreed.

Nick closed his eyes and sighed.

"You should get some rest," Temperance said.

"Temperance?" Nick asked as she got up to leave.

"Yes?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Get back here."

With a smile, Temperance turned and came back to the boy she loved.

**Please rate and review! Part 2 coming soon!**


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